Black blob appears on Tamarama Beach in Sydney READ MORE: Millions of Aussies on high alert as 'supercell' storm prepares to smash several states: What you need to know By Cameron Carpenter For Daily Mail Australia Published: 00:44, 18 October 2024 | Updated: 00:50, 18 October 2024 e-mail View comments A giant black sculpture resembling a common skin cancer has appeared on Sydney 's Tamarama Beach as part of the annual Sculpture by the Sea exhibition. Sydney-based artist Andrew Hankin, the creator of the piece, explained that the sculpture was designed to resemble melanoma and is made from heavy-duty fabric. 'It's a really big issue, and I think in the sense of bigness, we wanted to go out there and create something that hadn't been done before in terms of scale,' he told The Guardian.
'It's going to have a message that will be hard to ignore this summer.' As the exhibition progresses, the sculpture, currently standing three meters high and 20 meters wide, will change in size, shape, and color to raise awareness about skin cancer. Australia and New Zealand have the highest rates of melanoma in the world, with two out of three people diagnosed with some form before the age of 70, according to figures from the Australian Cancer Council.
While anyone can develop melanoma, risk factors include a history of childhood tanning and sunburn, fair or freckled skin, and a family history of the disease. To raise further awareness, Skin Check Champions will provide free skin checks on Oct.